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As the fastest growing group in the United States, Asian Americans have a significant presence in American society. Yet the Asian American experience has historically been an immigration story of hardship and discrimination, often punctuated by oscillating, and currently rising, levels of racist and political violence. While the U.S. government formally categorizes “Asian Americans” within one racial classification, a single “Asian American” experience is impossible to define. Asians and Pacific Islanders are not a monolithic group, but come from diverse traditions and cultures, and those groups’ arrival and subsequent integration into American society have also differed in significant ways.
Growing efforts have sought to foster collaboration among representatives of Asian American communities with organizations that research and document incidents of extremism and polarization, both historic and current. Yet recent high-profile affirmative action cases have put Asian American achievement into perceived conflict with other non-white groups. Many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, like Latino and African American voters, appear to have shifted their support from Democrats to Republicans in recent elections in key states. These voters may help determine the outcome of the 2024 elections – potentially one of the most consequential elections in American history.
This election is also set on a backdrop of growing geopolitical and economic rivalry between “the East” and “the West”. Both U.S. political parties have sought to use adversarial perceptions of (and from) China for electoral gain. China is portrayed as an example of a technological power and highly functional and technologically proficient society, which is neither democratic nor open, but presents itself as a geopolitical and economic rival to the United States. But China’s place in this discourse is not unique: forty years ago, Americans viewed Japan as the rising Asian power most challenging to the U.S. economically (and forty years before that, militarily). American involvement in Asian wars – in the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and Indo-China, and Afghanistan – continues to influence U.S.-Asian dynamics geopolitically and domestically in various countries on both sides of the Pacific.
This year’s American Studies Program will explore the long history of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. We will examine their experiences with an eye toward lessons they might provide on the future and what they can contribute to understanding the evolving dynamics within the United States and, in the context of growing concern about potential conflicts between “East and West”, what this will mean for the future of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the United States.
The program will include an intergenerational, international, and inclusive group of approximately 50 academics, policy makers, journalists, artists, and activists.
The highly-participatory format will mix curated conversations with distinguished guests, knowledge exchange, practical group workshops, and informal interactions on topical issues to maximize cross-sector interaction among participants. This format provides multiple opportunities for all participants to share their knowledge and expertise on equal terms and to build new alliances and research projects.
The program is designed around speakers, round tables, and discussion groups, and included diverse and intersectional representation. The program aims to:
Key questions will include:
The program fee is $6,000 USD and includes program participation as well as all meals and accommodation at Schloss Leopoldskron.
With the help of generous partners, the American Studies Program is able to offer a number of places at a discounted rate of $1,320 USD to participants from universities, research institutes, think-tanks, non-governmental organizations, and public officials. Additionally, Salzburg Global also offers a limited number of full scholarships to ensure diversity of participants across sectors, regions and generations. Applicants should indicate clearly in the application if they wish to be considered for the reduced rate and/or the full scholarship. In general, participants will be expected to cover their own travel to/from Salzburg.
How to Apply?
To help you prepare, here's what to expect from Salzburg Global's application portal. Note our recommended guidance for applying to this program. Responses should be short (1,000 character max.)
1) Describe your vision for how positive transformation could occur in your field.
2) Describe an example of a new idea, innovation, strategy, or good practice you would like to implement to address a challenge in the field of this program.
3) Describe how participating in this program will help you meet your personal and/or professional goals.
If you would like to apply to the program, please click HERE and complete a five-minute activity by May 30 2024 at 17:00 CET.
Review of the applications will be done after May 31st. We ask any applicant who applies via an embassy to indicate this in the application.
If your registration is accepted, payment is due within five (5) business days after receipt of the confirmation. Payment can be made via credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or by bank transfer.
Cancellation Fees: In case of cancellation, a participant may transfer registration to another member of the participant's organization (city, department, firm, etc.) upon mutual agreement. Alternatively: